Alberta
wants Albertans' input on Child Welfare Act www.acs.gov.ab.ca
How can parents, extended families,
communities and government work better together to make sure that
children and youth are safely cared for in their families and communities?
Government of Alberta News Release
- Nov. 20, 2001
Website set up for input on Alberta's
Child Welfare Act Edmonton ... Albertans can provide their views on
the Child Welfare Act through a new website created as part of the
act's review. The website is located at http://www.childwelfareact.gov.ab.ca.
It includes background information on the act, the review process,
a discussion guide and an opportunity for public input.
"I encourage Albertans to use
this website to tell us what they think about the Child Welfare Act,"
said Children's Services Minister Iris Evans. "We want to hear
from as many people as possible as part of our efforts to improve
the child welfare system. Diverse opinions are welcome as the review
of the act continues."
The website is only one way the ministry
is consulting the public on the Child Welfare Act. Community meetings
are being held throughout the province through Child and Family Services
Authorities, stakeholder groups are being consulted and advertisements
will be placed in Alberta newspapers.
"The input of Albertans is critical,"
said Calgary-Buffalo MLA Harvey Cenaiko who is leading the review.
"We want to know what is working well and what isn't, what are
the issues surrounding child welfare and what are the solutions."
For Albertans without internet access,
information can be obtained by contacting the Child Welfare Act review
office at 780-415-9795. For residents living outside Edmonton, call
toll-free at 310-0000 and an operator will provide assistance.
Evans announced the Child Welfare Act
review in May, 2001. A second phase of public consultation will take
place in early 2002. The review is expected to culminate in Spring
2003 legislation.
For further information, contact:
Iris Evans - Minister, Alberta Children's Services - (780) 415-4890
Mark Kastner - Communications , Alberta Children's Services - (780)
427-4801
MLA Harvey Cenaiko - Calgary-Buffalo - (780) 415-9573
The Child Welfare Act provides the
legislative foundation for child protective services, adoption services,
and services to children with disabilities in the province of Alberta.
The honorable Iris Evans, Minister
of Children's Services, commissioned a review of Alberta's Child Welfare
Act during the month of June, 2001. Harvey Cenaiko, MLA for Calgary
Buffalo is responsible for leading the review of the Child Welfare
Act. Over the next few months Albertans will be asked to participate
in the review by providing their input on this piece of legislation.
This web site was developed to assist
you in becoming informed about the review process, and to provide
your written feedback on what is working well, the issues, and the
solutions.
Feedback page www.childwelfareact.gov.ab.ca
1. What values do you think are important
to our Child Welfare Act?
2. What principles should shape our Child Welfare Act?
3. How can parents, extended families, communities and government
work better together to make sure that children and youth are safely
cared for in their families and communities?
4. How do we ensure that our Child Welfare Act is respectful of the
ethnic and cultural diversity of our communities?
5. How can we better meet the needs of families seeking help where
there are no protection concerns?
6. Should the new Child Welfare Act address prevention, early intervention
and the promotion of well-being for children, youth and families?
If so, how?
7. In your opinion, when is a child in need of protection ?
8. How should individuals and parents be held accountable for abuse
and neglect of children?
9. How do we make sure that the rights of children, youth and families
are
protected when we are looking into reports of abuse and neglect?
10. What improvements should be made in how we look into reports of
abuse and neglect?
11. When a child or youth needs protective services, how can we better
support parents in addressing concerns, while at the same time supporting
parents in their role and responsibility of caring for their children?
12. When is there a role for extended family members in this process?
13. When teen-parent conflicts occur, can we better support parents
and youth in resolving conflict? If so, how?
14. How can we ensure and support parents in remaining active and
responsible for the care of their children?
15. How could we be more effective in working with children, youth
and families at critical transition points: when children come into
care; when children change placements during their time in care;when
children are returned home.
16. How can we ensure stable and caring homes for children and youth
while they remain in care?
17. Should we address licensing and quality assurance in the Child
Welfare Act?
18. How much time should be given to a family to resolve the protection
concerns that led to their child coming into care?
19. Can Children's Services more effectively help families address
protection concerns so that more children can safely return home and
return home in as short a period as possible?
20. How can we ensure that we respect the opinions of children or
youth about coming into care, changing placements while they are in
care, and returning home?
21. How can we improve our ability to find permanent homes for children
and
youth who need them?
22. Should we include customary adoption practices in the new Child
Welfare Act?
23. How can we better support youth as they move into early adulthood?
24. How should the new Child Welfare Act reflect the role of Aboriginal
communities as partners in the planning and delivery of services to
their children?
25. Should Métis and Inuit peoples be recognized in the Child
Welfare Act, and if so, how?
26. What is your view on the role of the Children's Advocate?
27. Are there other forms of advocacy that we should consider?
28. How can we ensure that children, youth and families are aware
of their rights?
29. Does the Child Welfare Act capture all of the rights that children,
youth and familiesshould have and, if not, what is missing?
30. In your opinion, what should the Child Welfare Act say about appeals?
31. Should the new Child Welfare Act include other processes to resolve
differences of opinion? What should these be?
32. How can we strike a balance between the need to share information
and the need to respect the privacy of children, youth and families?
33. What supports and assistance should be made available to adoptive
families to ensure successful adoption of a child?
34. Is there a need to clarify the requirements and processes for
all international adoptions?
35. What should be the role of government and private agencies in
processing international adoptions?
36. Is there a role for government in ensuring that privately arranged
adoption placements are safe for the child?
37. Are adoption services through licensed agencies accessible and
affordable to all Albertans?
38. What are the best ways of ensuring that important medical and
family information about the child's birth parents is available to
the child in the future?
39. Does the current legislation strike the appropriate balance between
the rights of birth parents to privacy and confidentiality, and the
rights of adopted persons to access their personal history? Please
explain.
40. Should the legislation provide opportunities for open adoption?
If so, please explain.
41. What are the critical supports and services that should be offered
by the Children's Services Ministry?
42. Should there be any changes to the current
legislation? If yes, what should these changes be?
43. Are there new areas that you would like to see included in the
Child Welfare Act?
Source: Adoption Council of Canada,
www.adoption.ca
Copyright 2003 Adoption Council of
Canada. Reproduction permitted, if credited "Source: Adoption
Council of Canada, www.adoption.ca".
Please make a request to reprint, so
we can track the use of ACC news items. Send your request
to acc@adoption.ca.
|